Inventing Dragons

Hermione bit her lip staring at the reflection. Mummy had said no when she'd asked for a pet dragon. Mummy had said they didn't exist but Hermione didn't think that this was true and even if it was she didn't understand why Mummy thought that was a problem.

She really wanted a dragon.

The Hermione in the mirror smiled a smile that Aunt Hilary said meant 'trouble'. Aunt Hilary thought a lot of things Hermione did was trouble Daddy told her off, said it was just that she has an over active imagination. They had a big argument when the boy in school who'd tried to cut her hair wasn't her, Daddy had been the only one who asked her who did it but she didn't look impressed she she said her shadow.

Instead he took away her Peter Pm video and told her shadows couldn't move which was silly because Hermione's shadow moved every time she did, just like everyone else's until no one was looking - then everybody's shadows moved on their own. She tried to trick them all the time but they were clever. They never got caught.

Brushing her teeth fifty times like she'd been told Hermione started to think of ways she could make a dragon. Maybe if she was a grown up she could drive away to a big zoo in Mummy's car (which was red and cooler than Daddy's.) or the National History Museum with all the bones to go and find one but she was only six and had a spelling test tomorrow.

Dragon hunting would have to wait.

In the meantime Hermione thought she could at least narrow things down. Washing her face she took a breath and crept out of the bathroom, sticking to the shadows like a proper spy.

Daddy's office was at the end of the hallway and it was pitch black. Hermione hesitates as she pushed it open before taking a small step inside. Nothing came to get her or tried to eat her so she took another few steps to the printer, palms sweating. Grabbing some paper from the tray Hermione grinned in victory. A noise from somewhere in the shadows made her jump and she fled out of the room and down the corridor, one slipping flying off her foot as she dove into her bedroom and onto the bed.

Captain Billy Bones watched the door for her loyally ready to spring into action and protect her. After nothing happened Hermione and Captain Bones agreed that the monster only lived in the office and it was safe. Clambering off the bed Hermione stood on tip toes and pulled a large hardback book of French vocabulary down to lean on, her pencil case of crayons and colours the next thing to be dropped on the bed.

Lying on her stomach Hermione sat the Captain up, both of them ready to invent a dragon.

A grown up dragon could fly her to the sweet shop and chase away all the mean boys and girls and teachers in school. A baby dragon would be her best friend forever and a friend was something she wanted more than white mice or fizzy coca cola bottles.

A dragon who would grow up with her, she'd make one of those. He would be like her brother and would be a little blue, a little green and a lot of red. His favourite food was spaghetti and his favourite book was 'The Voyage Of the Dawn Treader'.

Her tongue was poked out of the side of her mouth as she coloured him in carefully. He had big brown eyes like hers and his name was either Nathaniel or Vascar, she couldn't decide which.

Tidying everything away when she was finished Hermione hugged the picture of her new best friend. He blinked at her and then smiled a big smile, flapping his wings. Hermione gasped before grinning wildly and showings Captain Bones.

He got pride of position on the other pillow as Hermione crawled under the blankets with Captain Bones. Now she had a dragon to protect her too, the monsters definitely wouldn't be able to get her.

Mr. Dragon curled up on the page and blew a puff of smudged smoke as Hermione whispered good night, drifting off to sleep happy that inventing a dragon had been much easier than she thought.

Mummy and Daddy were going to be so excited.

AN: This one shot has been entered in the following challenges and competition:

- The Key Signature Competition with C Major: 'Innocence, naivety and children's talk.'

- The Party Challenge: Pictionary - write a piece with no dialogue.

- The Weasley Wizard Wheezes Competition: Tonne Tongue Toffees - write a piece with no dialogue.

- The If You Dare Challenge with prompt #326 - Magical Effect.

- The Musical Terms Challenge withprompt #72 - Magico.

- The Family Boot Camp with prompt #34 - Injustice.

- The Months Of The Year Challengewith December: write about a family.